


do i wanna know?

by frostfall



Series: For You [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Jealousy, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pining, Post-Avengers (2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27367456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostfall/pseuds/frostfall
Summary: There are many reasons why Steve doesn’t like Johnny Storm. He’s impulsive. Arrogant. Self-absorbed. A huge flirt who refuses to take anything seriously.Steve doesn’t hate Johnny because he flirts with Tony. And definitely not because Tony seems to reciprocate. That’s just crazy talk, right?Right?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: For You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073960
Comments: 29
Kudos: 417





	do i wanna know?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ishipallthings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishipallthings/gifts).



> To [ishipallthings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishipallthings/), hope you enjoy this!!!
> 
> Title comes from [Do I Wanna Know?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM) by Arctic Monkeys.

He hears before he sees them, their voices loud enough for Steve’s ears to pick up.

Steve reaches for his hand towel, dabbing the sweat trickling down his head and cheeks. “Uh, JARVIS? Who—”

“Miss Romanov, Mr Storm, and sir.”

Steve couldn’t help but scowl at that. Wonderful. Just what he needs right now.

And to think that he could hole up in here, away from...them.

There are many things a lot of people don't know about Steve, one of them is that he isn’t very fond of the Fantastic Four.

Okay, that might be stretching things. It’s not like he _hates_ them. He actually admires how well they work together, which makes sense considering they’re family, and well enough with the Avengers. It helps that both teams get on well with each other, going so far as to taking vacations and hosting monthly gatherings.

Ben’s a blast to have around during Game Nights (how he wins every single time during poker, Steve will never know) and while Reed might talk circles around Steve’s head (not on purpose, of course), he can’t help but admire his intelligence, only second to Tony. He doesn’t have anything negative to say about Sue and not just because he’s afraid of losing a limb. She’s a total sweetheart and fun to gossip with.

And then, there’s Johnny Storm.

Speaking of Johnny Storm, he swaggers inside the gym like he owns the place, his smug grin ever plastered on. He has an arm around Tony’s shoulder, a detail Steve tries hard to ignore. Thankfully for his sanity, Natasha trails in after them.

“Hey, Cap,” she says as the trio comes to a stop in front of Steve. “Up for a spar?”

“Uh, sure.” Steve’s eyes trail over to the person next to him, almost freezing at the sight of Tony clad in a black tank top. And judging by the light sheen on his tanned skin and the way the cloth clings to his lithe frame, he must’ve been down in the workshop before this.

God, those muscles and that stupid tank top are going to be the death of Steve.

“Hey,” he manages, inwardly cringing at how breathless he sounds.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Natasha rolls her eyes.

Tony flashes a toothy grin that might or might not make Steve feel lighter. “Hey yourself.”

Steve couldn’t help but break into a smile of his own.

“And just what am I?” Johnny demands, placing his hands on his hips. “Chopped liver?”

Just like that, the moment’s ruined. Steve fights off the urge to roll his eyes.

He'll never figure out how the Fantastic Four could stand him.

Tony chuckles, clapping Johnny on the shoulder. “He probably thought he was looking at the mirror.”

Steve feels himself scowl at that.

Right. How could he forget that one little detail? For some reason, people seem to think that Johnny's the spitting image of Steve, from the blond hair to the startling blue eyes to the chiseled jaw.

Steve might've found the comparison amusing, if Johnny isn’t such a hot-headed brash asshole, a self-centered flirt who can’t, for the life of him, take anything seriously. In fact, Steve might've found Johnny tolerable or god forbid—

“Hell _o_? Earth to Spangles?”

Steve blinks, finally noticing the hand Johnny’s been waving in front of him. “Sorry, I was just...just wondering why the both of you are here.”

He instantly regrets the accusatory tone when Tony flinches. If he hadn’t been for his four-year friendship with Tony, Steve's pretty sure he wouldn’t have noticed. Tony's tells are subtle like that.

Johnny waves his hand around in dismissal. “Oh, you know. Thought I’d get Tony to take a break. Figured he needs some fresh air, maybe some eye-candy to ogle.”

Tony snorts, crossing his arms. “Again with that shit. Yeah, yeah. You got me out of the workshop. It isn't something to gloat about.”

“Hey, I have the right to gloat about it. You're as bad as Reed when he gets into the zone.” Johnny smirks. “Even Sue could hardly tear him away from work.”

“I get Tony out of there all the time,” Steve blurts out.

“You mean, you have to haul his ass over your shoulder,” Natasha pipes up.

Steve shifts his glower down at her. She meets him with a cool gaze, her lips curled in a half-smile.

Johnny’s lips shift into his trademark Cheshire grin, waggling his eyebrows. “Now, _that’s_ an image I’d love to see.”

“I think I have a pic or two—”

“Nat!”

Natasha rolls her eyes. “Alright, alright. Party pooper.” She pokes his shoulder before sauntering away. “C'mon, you big lug.”

Steve trails after her, throwing a backward glance at Tony and Johnny as he goes. They’ve taken residence on a nearby bench, their heads bent together as they murmur to one another. Judging by the blush on Tony’s cheeks and the self-satisfied grin on Johnny’s face, it’s saved to say that they’re flirting.

Again.

From the moment they’ve met, Johnny seems to have taken a shine to Tony, following him around like a lost puppy and flirting with him like there’s no tomorrow. It's bizarre. It's not like Tony's friendship with Reed, which is built on science and research. They barely have anything in common, besides their reputations as ‘playboys’.

Is Johnny _actually_ interested in Tony? Why would Johnny even consider dating Tony? For one, Tony’s way too old for him. Johnny’s in his early, mid-twenties? Sure, Steve’s younger than Tony too but he’s closer in age (and no, his true age doesn’t count).

Plus, Steve’s a master tactician. He has superstrength, superhearing, able to heal quickly. What can Johnny do besides bursting into flames? If Tony wants skywriting written in fire, Tony could just build a machine that could—

A nudge to his head snaps Steve out of his thoughts. He whips behind him, meeting Natasha’s knowing smirk.

Which could only mean one thing.

“My eyes are up here, Cap.”

Steve groans. “Nat—”

“I’m just getting your attention,” she replies, the perfect picture of innocence. “Nothing else.”

The sparring session starts out fine. As usual, Natasha proves to be the perfect sparring partner, easily keeping up with Steve’s stamina and is agile enough to meet his jabs with ease.

But then he hears a familiar giggle behind him and then he loses focus.

Steve blinks, meeting Natasha’s cool gaze as the pain in his side ebbs away. She has an eyebrow raised knowingly.

“Wanna take five?”

“I’m fine,” Steve replies gruffly, raising his fists.

“I could get them to leave—”

“No!”

Natasha’s other eyebrow shoots upwards.

Heat begins creeping up Steve’s neck. “I mean, I—”

“Everything all right there?” Tony calls out from the bench, looking and sounding worried. Next to him, Johnny’s grinning, looking like a cat who just ate a canary.

Steve really, _really_ wants to wipe that smirk off his face.

“I’m good!” he replies. “I mean, _we’re_ good.”

Tony’s frown deepens but thankfully doesn’t seem to pursue the subject.

When Steve and Natasha resume their spar, Steve makes sure to jab harder and dodge faster, to try to win. He knows he’s getting reckless. Sloppy.

But he needs this, needs this distraction. Needs to forget.

And then pain explodes over his face.

Steve doesn’t even register what’s happened until he feels callused but warm hands cupping his face and a voice frantically yelling in his ear.

“—eve! C’mon, buddy. Are you okay? Wh—”

And that’s when he realizes he’s sprawled on the mat, Tony holding his face in his hands.

For a brief moment, he lets himself lean into the touch, bask in Tony’s concern before he meets a pair of azure blue eyes behind Tony.

Immediately, Steve yanks away from Tony’s touch, jumping to his feet.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“It’s definitely not nothing,” Tony retorts, reaching forward again. “Your face is bruising—”

“It’ll heal.”

“Still. At least let us—”

“I said, I’m fine!”

Tony flinches. Johnny’s eyebrows shoot up. Natasha remains impassive.

An invisible lump forms in Steve’s throat. Oh, he definitely fucked up.

Truly, _truly_ fucked up.

“I—I have to go.”

He’s out of the room before anyone could stop him, making a beeline for the elevators because fuck, he fucked up so bad.

Steve needs to get away. Away from Tony and Natasha and Johnny freaking—

“Shit,” he mutters to himself, jabbing at the elevator buttons, whiling, hoping that it’ll come. It better come because goddamn it—

“Steve!”

He doesn’t bother looking over his shoulder, dashing over to the emergency stairs instead.

Thankfully, Tony doesn’t follow.

* * *

“I’m an idiot,” Steve chants to himself as he lets the waste cascade down his body. “I’m a huge freaking idiot.”

It’s not even an exaggeration. Only an idiot would let himself get distracted by some flirting that might be harmless, let himself get jealous—

He groans, squeezing his eyes shut.

Steve couldn’t be jealous of Johnny Storm. He just couldn’t. Sure, he’d love to be on the other end of Tony’s sultry smiles and honeyed words and heated gazes but he can’t— He just can’t—

Heaving a sigh, he turns off the faucet and steps out of the shower. He winces as he pauses in front of the mirror. The bruise blooming on his cheek is big and purple. At least the serum will take care of it.

A swell of pride for Natasha courses through him. She got him good.

“Hey, JARVIS?” Steve begins as he dresses. “Could you order my usual from Gustavo’s?”

“Done. Your order of two extra-large pepperoni pizzas will arrive shortly, Captain.”

If Tony’s here, he’d insist on pineapples because apparently, that’s how people eat pizzas these days. Then, Steve would argue and say that pineapples don’t belong on pizzas. Tony would roll his eyes and accuse him of being unadventurous, that Steve should—

Maybe that’s it. Maybe Tony finds him boring. Attractive ( _why_ does Johnny look like him) but boring. Steve isn’t as open to trying new things as Johnny is, and steers clear of the big parties and events Tony is forced to attend. Unlike Johnny.

“I can do fun,” Steve mutters to himself as he towels his damp hair, heading for the bedroom door. “I can be fun. I can—”

Oh, who is he kidding? His level of fun barely reaches Johnny’s level of fun, let alone eclipses it.

He shakes his head, whiling that thought away as he heads for his bedroom door.

And almost collides with Tony because he has the best luck in the world.

He's not ready for this. Not now. Not ever.

Someone seems out to get him, huh?

“You didn’t tell me you were having a pizza party,” Tony remarks coolly.

_Goddamnit, JARVIS._

“I— Uh—”

His eyebrows knit, zeroing on Steve’s bruised cheek. He uncurls his fist, reaching over. “I was worried,” he murmurs.

“I’m fine,” Steve says, batting Tony’s hand away. “The serum—”

“Will heal it. I know, I know. I wasn’t going to bring that up.” Tony sighs, glancing away for a moment. When their eyes meet again, Steve almost shrinks back at the blaze behind his eyes.

He is truly fucked.

“What the hell was that back there?”

He steels himself. “I don’t know what you’re—”

“Don’t bullshit me, Steve,” Tony snaps. “You know what I’m talking about. Your weird, one-sided beef with Johnny.”

His heart leaps. “What does Johnny have to do—”

“Please. You always act weird whenever Johnny’s around, even during fights.” Tony exhales, running his fingers through his hair. “Look, I know it might be weird having someone who looks exactly like you running about—”

“Tony—”

“Not that I know from experience—”

“I—”

“—but the point is, I don’t get why you keep giving him such a hard time. He isn't a bad guy, you know.”

Steve's probably misjudging Johnny’s character. He did the same to Tony once upon a time, after all. But it’s a struggle to look past his bias this time when one: Steve doesn’t have the pleasure (or displeasure) of living with Johnny, two: Johnny seems determined of proving Steve right, and three: Tony seems to prefer Johnny over Steve in terms of romance. Just hearing Tony defend Johnny with such heat, such determination, makes his stomach clench.

“If you would just—”

“I like you!”

Tony freezes.

Steve wishes the floor would just open under his feet and swallow him up.

“I like you,” he continues, and god, someone better shut him up right now because fuck his mouth, “and I hate how he flirts with you and I hate how you flirt back and I—” He sighs. “I was jealous. _I’m_ jealous. And I’ve been jealous for a very long time of Johnny. I want to be the one you flirt with.”

Tony's mouth parts. Then closes. Then parts again.

Steve swallows, his nerves getting the better of him. “Say something,” he pleads.

Tony’s Adam’s apple bobs. “Holy shit.”

Well. That’s not the reaction Steve thought he’d get.

“Wha—”

“Holy fucking shit!” Tony yells, making Steve wince. “I can’t believe it!”

“Tony—”

“I mean, I get Nat ‘cause you know, super spy and stuff but I thought she was pulling my leg—”

_Goddamnit, Nat._

“—but then Johnny brought it up and you know Johnny, he can be full of shit—”

Steve frowns. “You’re not making sense.”

“I am making sense,” Tony insists as he stares up at Steve, dazed and awed. “You like me. Romantically.”

Steve nods tentatively. “But it’s fine if you don’t—”

“You think I don’t like you back?”

“You do?”

Once again, Tony sighs, his fingers rubbing at his temples. Steve expects a lecture after. What he gets instead is Tony on his tip-toes, pecking Steve on the lips.

“I like you too, you idiot.”

Steve blinks, his world coming to a standstill. “You— You do?”

Tony cocks an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I don’t. I don’t give out pity kisses. Even if they’re pecks.”

“...Oh.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“So,” Steve says after a brief moment. “You’re not into Johnny?”

Tony does a double-take at that. “Seriously?”

“I just— You both looked close to each other and the flirting—”

“We’re flirts, Steve,” he points out. “And single. Single flirts like us communicate by flirting. Sides, Johnny was just playing with you.”

_Goddamnit, Storm._

“Sides',” Tony continues, “he was the one who mentioned the possibility of you being interested in me—”

Steve pauses. “How—”

“Apparently, you look at him with, and I quote, ‘A glare so deathly that it makes Scott Summers’ optic beams look harmless.”

Steve scowls. Scott Summers, one of the last people he ever wants to think of is Scott Summers, especially now. In fact, he’d rather not think about Johnny Storm either.

“I don’t—”

“I didn’t believe him at first ‘cause you know, you’re you and I’m me and why would you look at me that way—”

“Tony—”

Tony holds up a hand. “Let me finish.” Steve presses his lips together. “We were debating about it a while back so I was like, 'Well, I need proof' and he went, 'Alright, I show you proof'. So we got Nat to spar with you just to see if you'd be…distracted.” A light blush spreads across his cheeks. “It’s hard to argue with what I saw. Even if I had doubts. Lots of them. I still couldn't believe it but Johnny and Nat insisted I get my ass up here and ask you myself and well... Here we are.”

“Here you are,” Steve echoes, his mind officially in shambles. He doesn't know whether he should thank or yell at Natasha and Johnny for their meddling. “Let me guess, Nat threatened to castrate you.”

“And Johnny said he’d set my stash of blueberries on fire,” Tony admits. “Plus, JARVIS kicked me out of the workshop so you know. That sealed the deal.”

Steve snorts as he snakes his hand around Tony’s waist, drawing him closer. “Poor you.”

“Mm-hmm, poor me,” Tony murmurs, meeting him halfway.

The kiss this time is longer but as soft and warm, and so much better than Steve imagined. He is one lucky, _lucky_ man.

“Now that we’ve gotten that all cleared up,” Tony begins when they break apart, “I heard you were going to have a pizza party yourself. Got room for your boyfriend?”

Steve’s lips quirk to the side. “Boyfriend, huh?”

Tony hums. “I mean, we gotta have a label if you wanna ward Johnny off.”

A thought strikes Steve. “You’re right,” he says, lacing their fingers together. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“Go where?”

“Downstairs,” Steve replies, leading him to the elevator. “We’re gonna have a pizza party. JARVIS?”

“I have already ordered the usual in addition to your previous order.”

“Good.” Steve gives Tony's palm a light squeeze. “You want to invite the rest of the Fantastic Four over? I’m feeling like showing my guy off.”

Tony smirks as he fishes his phone out. “You possessive dog, you.”

Steve couldn’t argue with that.

**Author's Note:**

> You can reblog this on Tumblr [here](https://nethandrake.tumblr.com/post/633771368469692416/do-i-wanna-know).
> 
> I'm on [Tumblr](https://nethandrake.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/kapteniron)!


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